10 Risotto Mistakes You Must Avoid at All Costs
Risotto seems so simple. But anyone who has ever watched their risotto turn into rice porridge knows: this dish is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That’s why we’ve listed the 10 biggest risotto mistakes, so you can serve up perfectly creamy risotto from now on.
According to legend, the recipe for risotto was invented by a clumsy Sicilian chef. He simply couldn’t manage to make arancini, so he served risotto in its current form instead. Funnily enough, risotto is still known as ‘the death dish’ among aspiring master chefs. But you won’t be making any more mistakes after this!
1. Reheating it
Make risotto fresh and serve it immediately. Reheating risotto? I tried it, but it wasn’t a success. It’s best to use leftovers in Arancini di riso (Italian risotto balls) or a frittata.
2. Using the wrong rice
Choose carnaroli, arborio or vialone nano. These are the three types of rice that turn your risotto into a celebration. Or as the Italians say: go for rice grains that dance in your mouth (‘ballano in bocca’). Carnaroli is ideal for lemon risotto, risotto alla milanese or seafood risotto (choose the Acquerello brand), arborio for risotto with mushrooms or sausage, and vialone nano for fish or spring vegetables.
3. Rinsing the rice
Risotto rice is not basmati, jasmine or pandan rice. And yes, we rinse those varieties for perfect rice. Don’t do this with risotto rice, because it changes the texture and removes important nutrients.
4. Not toasting the rice
Toasting the rice is essential. Don’t worry, it won’t burn. Do this after gently cooking the finely chopped onion in butter for about 15 minutes. Then add the rice and fry it for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice starts to shine. Don’t fry the rice for too long, because it will become too hard and will no longer absorb the liquid.
5. Skipping the alcohol
Always add a splash of alcohol, such as wine or liqueur. This helps remove excess fat from the rice grains after toasting and adds extra flavor.
6. Using cold stock
Risotto is made with few ingredients, so what you use needs to be good. Homemade chicken stock is great, but if that’s too much hassle: get good stock from the butcher. Still too much hassle: use stock cubes—we won’t tell. Just make absolutely sure your stock is very hot when you add it.
7. Stirring too much
Stir (with a wooden spoon), but don’t overdo it. Stirring too much breaks the grains. The rice grains then lose starch and start sticking together.
8. Mixing soft and crunchy grains
Use only the soft, perfectly cooked grains. Don’t scrape the hard grains from the bottom into the dish.
9. Doing the mantecatura incorrectly
The mantecatura (making it creamy) is the secret to creamy risotto. Remove it from the heat, stir in butter and Parmesan, and let it rest for at least 1 minute. Then: mangia subito!
10. Serving risotto in the pan
Serve it on a cold plate to stop the cooking process. The ideal texture? Italians describe it as La onda: a wave gently washing onto the shore.
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Source: La Cucina Italia
